Freestanding bathtubs are in high demand because of their aesthetic characteristics. However, one of the drawbacks associated with freestanding bathtubs is their installation, which is generally more complicated than for conventional bathtubs.
Since typical freestanding bathtubs are mounted on a finished surface of a floor, their installation must be preceded by the installation and positioning of drain and water supply pipes under the surface of the floor, the installation of a subfloor and the installation of a floor covering. The plumbing professional must therefore be present at the time of the installation of the drain and water supply pipe under the floor, and must come back at a later stage of the construction (i.e. once the finishing of the floor is completed) to install the freestanding bathtub.
In addition, the installation of a freestanding bathtub is generally made more complicated because of the connection of the drain and water supply pipes. More specifically, freestanding bathtubs generally comprise faucets mounted in decorative shells and pre-assembled drain and overflow mounted on the tub, and the access between the skirt and tub is limited. The plumbing professional thus needs to remove a portion of the ceiling on a lower floor level to access the pipes (which increases the costs of installation due to reconstruction).
It would therefore be advantageous to be provided with a device or method that alleviates at least some of the drawbacks generally associated with the installation of freestanding bathtubs.